Racing Pundits who say "I was there that day"

[yeats]

Does it give extra credence to their opinion or the form? I don’t believe it does either but there are a number of racing pundits who regularly say it, so what is their reasoning behind saying it, does anyone know?

[graysonscolumn]

I suppose that depends on what observations on their being there that they’re actually making. In terms of, for example, highlighting anything that wouldn’t necessarily have been picked up by ATR or RUK’s cameras or the trade press (e.g. behaviour in the prelims), I think it can help fill a few gaps.

gc

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[Gingertipster]

As far as form goes, these days with RUK and ATR it’s probably only an occasional time where on-course helps. Although it might help to be positioned at the right spot for such things. Most punters seem to want to be as near to the winning post as possible. Where as most races take shape further out. I know one "pro" punter who even watches jump racing from the silver ring.

However, still helps to be paddock-side, as in my opinion both specialist TV channels don’t show enough of it.

The "I was there" might be just a statement of fact nowadays.

Value Is Everything

[Drone]

Does it give extra credence to their opinion or the form? I don’t believe it does either but there are a number of racing pundits who regularly say it, so what is their reasoning behind saying it, does anyone know?

In the main I’d opine that it’s just a ruse to convey gravitas and an air of authority, which unless the pundit does actually spend most of the afternoon paddock-side eyeing muscle and conformation followed by bins focussed on cantering legs going to post, doesn’t mean anything at all.

In fact from a race-reading point of view he/she is, like the rest of us, much more likely to glean valuable info sitting at home and watching races on the box, with pen and notebook to hand

[Author]

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